The Love Potion
by Sprinkles
Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it. Finished!
1. The Confession

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

Severus Snape, graduation dress robes billowing out behind him, strode through the dungeon and into his office where he firmly shut the door and as gracefully as possible, flopped into a chair.

_Another year finished. Thank God._

Yet another group of naïve seventh years had been sent on their way into the real world - armed with their Hogwarts education - and maybe even a little Potions had penetrated their thick skulls.

_Probably not_, Snape thought as he poured himself a scotch. With the possible exception of Granger, he could not be certain that he knew of a single person with the intelligence to retain his seventh year N.E.W.T. curriculum for long.

_Ah well. _Snape raised his glass in a toast to the departing class. _This is for you: Longbottom – I don't ever want to see you near a cauldron again; Weasley – For God's sake and my sanity: don't have any more children; Draco – Boy, the death of your father may be the best thing that's ever happened to you…_He paused in his thinking for a moment.

_And no more Harry bloody Potter._

Snape sat quietly as the complete reality of the situation hit him: No more constant reminders of that arrogant James Potter. No more of his late night wanderings and mischief making. No more of his rushing around into danger and then Snape having to save his thankless arse. No more of his press cuttings, belligerence, or sheer stupidity.

_No. More. Harry. Potter._

He downed his glass. "Hallelujah, Amen!"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Snape slammed his glass down in irritation.

_My God, can't these people solve their own problems for once instead of coming to me?_

He strode to the door and flung it open, a practiced "imposing glare" firmly fixed upon his face and directed at whoever had the audacity to disturb him during his annual after-graduation-rejoicing.

Harry Potter stood nervously at his office doorway. Age and Quidditch practice had made him more muscular had made him taller. Knowledge had made him more powerful and killing Voldemort had made him more mature. But he was standing in a way that reminded Snape strongly of the Harry Potter from almost eight years ago standing in the line waiting to be sorted.

_Who else? Who else could possibly have the blatantly God-awful timing to appear when I am just rejoicing his departure?_

Resisting the powerful urge to roll his eyes, he glared down at Harry. "Well?"

Harry hesitated for a long moment. "Professor, I – er – I came to ask you something."

Another long pause.

"Mr. Potter, I have neither time nor the wish to stand here and listen to the idiotic adolescent ramblings. Either say what you came to say or leave."

Harry took a deep breath and shuffled his feet. "I think I like you."

Snape looked at him blankly.

"I mean I _like_ like you." Harry rushed on with the speed of the newest racing broom. "Beyond like – I mean, I like your hands and your face and your voice and sometimes what you say is mean and all that but I like listening to it anyway and I – I'd lovetospendsomemoretimewithyou.

Silence greeted the end of this jumble of the English language as Harry, as red as Ron's hair, cut himself off and Snape began to suffer the kind of headache normally reserved for dealings with Voldemort or dealings with Dumbledore.

_Bloody Hell. When will these children learn?_

Repressing his temper for the moment, he rubbed his temples. "Follow me, Mr. Potter." He turned on his heel and walked back inside his office.

"Sit."

Harry sat.

"Mr. Potter," Snape began, sitting down right across from Harry who was intently studying the coffee table. "Who put you up to this?"

Harry looked up sharply. "I'm sorry?"

"Do not insult my intelligence by pretending otherwise, Potter! I know very well that this is a prank instigated by your Gryffindor classmates in order to embarrass a much hated teacher – "

"I never – "

"Doubtless," Snape continued over him as if there had been no interruption. "You lot hoped to find me dead of a heart attack from shock or even, perhaps, grateful that the Boy Hero deems me worthy of his attention?"

"But this isn't a prank! Nobody knows I'm here! They're all at the Three Broomsticks and – "

Snape stood up cutting him off. "Then I suggest you remove yourself from my sight and go join them."

"Professor, you don't underst—"

"Oh, I think I understand perfectly, Mr. Potter."

"No!" The shouted word silenced them both. "No," Harry repeated more quietly this time. "Look, I like you." Harry held firmly to his resolve and looked Snape in the eye. "More than that. I love you. I have since sixth year. It isn't a prank and it isn't a spell and I'm not drunk either. It's the truth."

Snape studied him very closely and it seemed that Harry Potter had suddenly become an expert Occlumens because Snape couldn't tell for sure whether he was lying or not.

Sighing, Snape turned away. "What do you want from me, Potter?"

"A date," Came the prompt reply.

"A what?"

"A date. You know – going out for dinner and all that."

Snape gave him his most scornful over-the-shoulder glare. "Don't be ridiculous. Get out of my office."

"I won't leave until you give in. Give me a chance. _Please._ What can I do to convince you? What can I do to get you to go out with me?"

"For the love of –" Enraged, Snape whirled around and grabbed him by the arm. "Fine! You want dinner, you presumptuous brat?" – He dragged Harry to the door – "Scrub all my cauldrons for two months," He snapped in his most sarcastic voice as he shoved Harry out the door. "_Then_ you can have your dinner!" And he slammed the door in Harry's face completely missing the muffled words that followed.

_Stupid boy. _

Massaging his temples, Severus Snape sat back down and tried to put the whole irritating incident out of his mind - but something was still bothering him. He thought back to Potter's little speech. Sincerity had rung clearly in every word. But Snape didn't believe for a second that Potter was actually in love with him.

So what was going on?

'_It isn't a prank and it isn't a spell…'_

Of course if Potter had been cursed or drugged he wouldn't be conscious of it. Imperio, perhaps? But who would go so far as to perform that curse except for Death Eaters? And what would they have to gain by doing something so asinine as making Potter think he was in love with Snape?

If not a Death Eater, then maybe a student? It _would_ be characteristic of the Slytherins to slip Potter something as a final parting slap-in-the-face. And he could think of a few that could make a love potion. And there were several love potions of varying complexity that could be combined with increased effects.

_A potion, then. _Snape smirked as he poured himself a new drink._ It would serve the little brat right to suffer potion-induced unrequited love. …But still, I suppose I have a responsibility to the wizarding public to save their ignorant hero, yet again. _He paused for a moment considering that idea._ And it might be an interesting challenge to find out who would drug the Boy Who Lived._

Much intrigued and much happier than he had been ten minutes ago, Snape stood up and retrieved every book about love potions and set to work.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Part 2 coming soon! Please feed the author!


	2. POV of the Presumptuous Brat

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

* * *

"Scrub all my cauldrons for two months," – The shove sent Harry hurtling out the door. – "_Then_ you can have your dinner!" 

SLAM!

Harry, completely missing the blatant and withering sarcasm in Snape's tone, was far too happy to be deterred at a mere door slamming in his face.

"Um," he called. "Is that starting tomorrow or starting on Monday?"

When no reply was forthcoming (Snape had probably gone to get his cauldrons good and filthy for Harry to scrub), Harry ran up to his dormitory and shucked his dress robe before walking down to the Three Broomsticks.

_Nothing in the world could ruin this wonderful mood I'm in_.

Honestly, Harry was surprised that Snape had even spoken to him. He'd expected a good thorough Snape-style insulting session and maybe a deadly hex or two thrown at him, but he'd never expected to be actually talked to – let alone for Snape to agree to go on a _date_ with him.

_I mean – true, he's only agreeing to get you to scrub his cauldrons – _

Harry determinedly tamped down the immature part of his brain that sniggered at the innuendo.

_But a date is a date._

Harry walked into the Three Broomsticks and spied Ron and Hermione's table. According to Hermione, they had been there for three-quarters of an hour waiting for Harry to tell them about Snape's response.

Harry had explained his crush on Professor Snape to Ron and Hermione back when they were in sixth year. Typical Hermione, with a satisfied look on her face as if she had honestly seen it coming, went out and got him all kinds of books on homosexual sex and protection from various diseases ('Well, at least it's not about birth control.' Said Ron.) Ron, on the other hand, after a short period of shock and confusion, which involved asking Harry six times a day if he was really _sure_ he was gay, got over it and asked Hermione to find out if there were any diseases that you could get from touching greasy hair.

Harry had long since decided to confess his feelings to Snape after graduation and now both Ron and Hermione were looking at Harry avidly, demanding to know the results of said confession.

"He said 'yes.'" Harry announced proudly. Ron sat dumbfounded while Hermione looked as if she were about to fall out of her chair…then they both started shouting over each other.

"_Really!_"

"And the git didn't try to _kill_ you…"

"_He actually said 'Yes?'"_

"…or _maim_ you at all?"

"_I can't believe it!"_ They both finished at the same time

Harry motioned for them to quiet down when he noticed the rest of the patrons in the Three Broomsticks beginning to stare.

"He didn't raise his wand at me at all." Harry said quietly. "He invited me inside his office." At their stunned looks Harry decided to begin again. "Look, this is what happened." And Harry told the entire story to them starting with him knocking on Snape's door that evening.

"…And _then_ he goes, 'Scrub all my cauldrons for two months. _Then_ you can have your dinner!'" Harry concluded triumphantly.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look.

"What," demanded Harry.

"Harry," began Hermione kindly, her mouth twitching. "Are you quite sure that Snape wasn't being at all sarcastic when he said those things to you?"

"Well…"

"Harry, he called you a presumptuous brat…"

"Yeah," said Harry dreamily.

Ron and Hermione exchanged another look. What could they do? Harry had it bad for the greasy git.

Finally Ron sighed. "Alright, Harry, we'll leave it up to you. Just be careful, okay?"

"Thanks, guys, for your support and all."

"_Don't_ mention it."

They talked about Ron's plans for the future (he was going to work for the Ministry) and Hermione's plans (she wanted to be a healer). Fred and George's joke shop was going well and Charlie and Percy, recuperating from injuries, were helping Mrs. Weasley out around the house. Mr. Weasley and Bill had both been killed in the War.

They talked about Sirius and McGonagall and Hagrid and all the others who had died in that final battle and were just speculating as to how in Merlin's red, flaming hell Cornelius Fudge had managed to remain Minister of Magic when suddenly Ron said,

"Harry, it's almost eleven o'clock. You have to go back to the castle."

After the War, even though Voldemort was gone (for-good-we-really-mean-it-this-time), several of his Death-Eaters were still at large and Hell-bent on killing off Harry. Thus Dumbledore, realizing that Harry was rather reluctant to go back into his muggle relatives' care ("I'd rather turn myself over to the Death Eaters!"), decided that Harry should live at Hogwarts for the summer and not leave castle or the surrounding village.

Harry also had a curfew where he had to be inside the Hogwarts castle at eleven o'clock.

Harry, Ron and Hermione got up from their table, tossed down some coins and headed toward the door. They were almost at the Hogwarts gates when Ron asked:

"Just for curiosity's sake, what attracted you to _Snape_ in the first place?"

Harry paused considering the question. There were so many things that made Snape attractive. The glare, the billowing robes, the insults. _Oh God, those insults._ _'Impetuous brat!'_ Harry shivered.

"I think the first thing was his hands."

"His hands?"

"Yeah." Harry stopped in front of the gates. "They looked so strong and deft."

Ron somehow managed to roll his eyes and cringe at the same time as he walked away with Hermione.

"Well," he called over his shoulder, "At least you weren't checking out his arse or something."

"Oh, of course I was checking out his arse – it was just his hands that I saw first."

Entering the castle Harry went up to his dormitory, but not before asking the house-elves if he could borrow a bucket and scrub-brush for cauldrons; he wanted to be totally prepared for his day of scrubbing bright and early in the morning.

He flopped down on his bed with a smile.

_What would Sirius say if he knew that I liked the greasy git?_

And he almost laughed out loud imagining the utterly revolted look on Sirius's face. In a way, it was too bad that Sirius wasn't a ghost (his heart clenched painfully as it always did when he thought of Sirius) – he would have enjoyed teasing him about this.

Harry got under the covers and closed his eyes. Ron and Hermione's words played over in his mind.

'At least you weren't checking out his arse or something.'

_Yeah, it _is_ a shame that he keeps it under those robes…_

'Are you quite sure that Snape wasn't being sarcastic…'

'Harry he called you a presumptuous brat.'

'_Presumptuous brat!'_ thought Harry drowsily as he rolled over and drifted off to sleep. _I could get used to that._

A/N: Hope you enjoyed Harry's POV. Coming in the next chapter, S and H interaction (finally, right?). As always, please feed the author. XOXO - Sprinkles


	3. Day One and Counting

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

Snape was awakened the next morning by a very loud and persistent knocking on his door.

He had been up until all hours of the night researching every type of love potion there was. In fact, a true researcher at heart, he had completely forgotten why he was researching them in the first place. It turned out there were forty-eight different kinds of love potion ranging from very weak (The Barely-infatuated Beverage) to very strong (Practically-suicidal Passion Juice). The good news was that it only took a day or so to test for any one particular love potion, since most of the potions had one, major, identifying ingredient.

The bad news was that testing for love potions was the last thing from Snape's mind at this point in time, having gone to bed only four hours ago and currently having no desire to get out of bed before noon. Which was why, when he was roused by someone knocking, his first thought was:

_Maybe if I lie as still as possible they will go away…_

KNOCK – KNOCK – KNOCK

_Holy Christ Almighty!_

Furious at the idiot who dared to awaken him at the crack of dawn, Snape got out of bed, quickly put on a dressing gown and went to answer the door. Fixing another 'imposing (albeit sleepy) glare' upon his face, he flung open the door…and stared in amazement at his intruder.

_Somebody _has_ to teach this boy _something_ about timing._

Harry Potter (_Of course_, thought Snape) was standing in his doorway, holding a bucket and scrub-brush, and gazing in a very love-sick sort of way at the tiny bit of Snape's chest not covered by his dressing gown.

…_the Hell?_ Having no recollection of yesterday's conversation, Snape was far too tired and annoyed to puzzle out why Potter was outside his office.

"Potter! What in the name of Merlin's blue bits are you doing at my office at SEVEN IN THE GODDAMN MORNING!"

Harry, still a bit love-sick, was not fazed in the slightest. "I'm here to scrub your cauldrons, Professor Snape."

_Wait…what?_ Innuendo aside, Snape was honestly confused. Had he, perhaps, given Potter a detention yesterday? No, he couldn't've. Potter graduated yesterday, after all.

"What nonsense are you babbling about, Potter?"

"Yesterday, sir," Potter explained patiently. "You said that you would go on a date with me if I scrubbed your cauldrons for two months."

_I said what? Oh…_Now, Snape remembered. He replayed in his head exactly what he said that day. _Oh good God._ "Have you ever heard of _sarcasm_, Potter? Just when I thought you couldn't get any thicker, you go and surprise me…I was not being serious, you twit." He paused as Harry's face fell slightly.

"Does this mean that you're taking back your offer, Professor?"

"Of cour – " Snape had been about to say: _Of course I am, you fool. Now get out of my office before you become an ingredient in my next potion!_, but he halted midsentence when a thought occurred to him:

_But what easier way would there be to test him for love potions…and what a thrill to throw his own carelessness at letting himself be drugged back at him…to show him his own stupidity …all that you'd need would be some blood to test him…_

Snape considered this idea for a moment. It _was_ a golden opportunity to demonstrate the boy's own idiocy to him.

"On second thought, Potter," Harry looked up hopefully, "…come here…I believe I _do_ have something for you to do."

He whirled around, strode back into his office, and, with his wand, levitated all the cauldrons that needed cleaning (he was always too busy to do it himself) into a corner of his office near a sink. After a quick glance across the room to make sure Harry wasn't watching (Harry was actually looking at a bookcase, of all things), he carefully looked into each of the cauldrons to make sure that there was nothing dangerous or harmful into which Harry would soon be putting his hands.

Resolutely ignoring the voice that asked him why the hell he cared, he turned to Harry.

* * *

Harry stood studying one of Snape's bookshelves. _Wow! Who knew the man read so much?_ With three, large, tightly-packed bookshelves against the walls (and one book on Love Potions on the coffee table) there must have been a hundred and fifty books in his office alone. He perused the titles: _Potions and Poisons and Draughts, Oh My!_, _Advanced Theory of the Use of Boomslang Skin_, _Deadly Nightshade and Other Poisons_, the list went on and on. 

"Alright, Potter." Harry turned away from the bookshelf as Snape spoke. "You can scrub those cauldrons over there." Snape indicated the cauldrons he had assembled in the corner and Harry headed towards them. "But first I need something from you."

Harry looked back at him with a strange mixture of curiosity and hopefulness. _I wonder what he needs – I've never been that good at potions…_Harry began to smile as his imagination ran away with him._ What if it's a kiss? _His romantic voice wondered. _Or a hug? _

_Don't be silly, Harry! _Snapped Harry's sensible voice, which strangely enough sounded like Hermione. _It's Professor Snape! He'd never overstep the bounds of propriety _especially _with someone half his age!_

_Fine, fine. _Harry surrendered, (surprised that he actually knew the word 'propriety' even if it was spoken in his 'Hermione' voice)._ I'll just have to settle for a quick grope._

Snape's voice interrupted his thoughts and Harry snapped out of his reverie just in time to realize that he had no idea what it was that Snape had just said he needed.

Snape was continuing, "…so you can take off your robes and hang them over there."

_WHAT!_ _This has got to be a new record for me! To Hell with a quick grope, it looks like I'm finally going to get – _

"Potter!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Professor, I was just thinking about something – "

"For the first time I'm sure."

" – What did you say?"

Snape gave him the half-annoyed, half-exasperated look that one gives to a particularly slow child. "I said, Potter, that I need your blood for a potion and since I'm sure you don't want to get blood on your robes, you can take them off and hang them over there."

"Oh." _Damn. _Harry took off his robes and hung them on the indicated coat rack. He had just turned around and was walking back to Snape when he remembered the last time someone had needed his blood for a potion.

"Wait. Why do you need _my_ blood?" Asked Harry.

"I do not specifically need _your_ blood." replied Snape, taking Harry by the wrist and rubbing disinfectant on the crook of his elbow. "I simply need the blood of someone untouched by an intentional curse."

"But my scar – "

"Your scar was neither intentional on the part of the Dark Lord, nor on the part of you. Therefore, for this particular potion, you are considered untouched."

"And _your_ blood?"

Snape looked at him for a long moment. "At the time, the Dark Mark was intentional by everybody involved."

_Oh_. Harry shifted uncomfortably. This was not the way that he had wanted the conversation to go at all. But very quickly, Snape made a small incision in his arm, filled a small vial with his blood and healed him with a wave of his wand.

_Oh well, I just about killed my chance with Snape…_

Harry, lost in his own thoughts, did not realize that Snape was done until he looked up and noticed that Snape was looking at him with the faintest smile on his face. He was still holding Harry's hand.

Snape took a step toward him, took hold of his other hand and tugged him closer.

"Potter…"

Harry looked up at him sharply, wondering what was going on. His imagination went wild again. _Oh my God, I don't believe it! Is he going to kiss me? I think he's going to kiss me! He's actually going to kiss me!_ Harry took a step closer, turned his face up, and closed his eyes in anticipation.

"Professor…"

Snape slid his hands up so they were holding on to Harry's upper arms. Together they stood there, barely six inches apart, Harry, eyes closed, waiting for his kiss and Snape looking down at him.

Nothing happened.

Confused, Harry opened his eyes. Snape was still looking down at him – but with a look that Harry had never seen before on the man. The faint smile was slightly more apparent, one eyebrow was raised in amusement and his black eyes glittered with silent laughter. He bent his head closer to Harry's still up-turned face.

The world (and Harry) held its breath for a moment.

"Start scrubbing, you presumptuous brat."

And suppressing his amusement, he gave Harry a nudge toward the cauldrons and one last glance before he turned away to begin his potion.

A/N: Hi, everyone hope you enjoyed this part, as always, please feed the author :). I'm not sure what I'm going to do for chapter four, but I'll think of something.

A special shout out to my current reviewers: willowtree16, toolazytologin (I know how you feel), Chrissy, Marie, Ditzy 1978, robindragon, Dark-Lady-Devinity, ataraxis, Wraith79, RivanKnight, Snapesfavorite, moondancer, Anime Monster, peacockgal17, Clodia, furikakeru, as, xikum, seabiscuit0810. Thank you all so much for taking the time to review! XOXO - Sprinkles


	4. Those Damn Subconscious Thoughts

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

Snape spent the rest of the day preparing a batch of a potion that would test for the presence of Barely-infatuated Beverage. He'd decided to start with the least difficult to brew potion and work his way up to the most difficult since the potion had probably been made by students anyway and students were, in his experience, extraordinarily lazy.

Harry, for his part, sat on his hands and knees for the rest of the day scrubbing as hard as he possibly could at the cauldrons in Snape's office. He seemed to take personal pride in how clean he could get them, almost as if to say: _See? I have some use! I'm not a complete idiot_!

It was sort of pleasant, in fact. There were very little words, just the soothing _swish swish_ of Harry's scrub-brush, the _chop chop_ of Snape's knife and the quiet crackle of the fire under Snape's cauldron. Snape became lost in his thoughts about what the most likely Love Potion was. He had to suppress another smile at the memory of the hopefulness in Potter's face, waiting for his expected kiss. _Silly boy._ He glanced over at Harry, who was bent double over the rim of an almost man-sized cauldron, with his top half completely inside it and his arse staring Snape in the face.

Snape's eyebrows shot upwards. _The brat's probably doing that on purpose, too._

_I notice you're still looking, though…_ Snarked another little voice in his brain.

Ignoring the voice resolutely, he went back to chopping.

He didn't think about anything else until late that evening when, in the midst of the swishing and chopping and crackling, came:

"_Holy Christ! What the hell did you have in this damn cauldron, anyway?"_ Harry, it seemed, had been scrubbing at one of the crusty blobs inside a particular cauldron for about two hours and now, flushed and sweaty, he was on the verge of giving up.

"Hm?" Snape looked up from his dicing and paused for a moment as he lifted another amused eyebrow. "I believe the last potion I brewed in that particular cauldron was Bicorn-Glue Potion."

Bicorn-Glue Potion was one of the most adhesive substances in the Wizarding world and the only way to get it off was by means of a spell. There was nasty silence as Harry thought about his wasted two hours.

"And you couldn't have told me that earlier, why?"

Snape was entirely far too amused by the whole situation. "Oh, I could have, Mr. Potter, but you, in fact, did not ask." Snape put down his knife and walked over to the cauldron, peering inside. "However, Boy-Hero, since you have put in an admirable effort, I will come to your aid this time." Snape picked up his wand and vanished the crusty blobs instantaneously.

He stood next to Harry for a moment, scrutinizing him carefully as if considering something. It was a long moment before he spoke.

"Mr. Potter, I believe that you should be getting back to your dormitory."

Harry wondered whether to beg for a few minutes more, but after a moment said, "Alright, Professor. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Potter retrieved his robes from the coat rack and stood hopefully for a moment in the doorway, as if to see if Snape would come over and give him a goodbye kiss, or goodbye grope at least.

Snape, who had gone back to his chopping, looked over and saw him still standing there. He rolled his eyes. "_Well?_ Do you need me to carry you, Potter?"

A pause. "Well actually– "

"_Don't_ answer that!"

And Harry left.

* * *

Shaking his head, Snape walked back over to his simmering cauldron, ladled out a cupful of the mixture and set it to cool for a moment on the counter-top. Next he retrieved Potter's vial of untouched-by-an-intentional-curse blood from his drawer (of course, the fact that it was untouched-by-an-intentional-curse was completely inconsequential, but he had to come up with something to tell the boy, didn't he?). 

_Indeed_, he answered himself as he unstoppered the vial of Harry's blood. The way a potion-tester worked was it would detect an ingredient specific to the potion in a sample of blood. If there were traces of the ingredient in the sample of blood, the potion would turn blue. If not, the potion would turn green.

He added the drop of blood.

Green. Negative.

_One down, forty-seven potion tests to go._

He poured out the remaining potion and cleaned his instruments, lost in thought.

Should he tell Potter that he suspected a Love Potion and was testing him for them? After all, testing someone without their consent was illegal (not that he had ever really cared _what _was illegal) and Potter probably had a right to know what his blood was being used for…

But then again, what if it wasn't some student prank? What if it was some Death-Eater scheme to catch him (again)? And what if he went blabbing to those two parasites he called his friends about the suspected Love Potion? What if some Death-Eater over heard him and having been suspected, they decided to accelerate their plans, but this time with a _poison_?

_Considering how easily he was drugged with the Love Potion, Potter would probably be dead in a heartbeat._

Snape went cold at the thought.

True, all these ideas were a leap of logic, but, even still, there were too many risks.

_Besides_, Snape continued in his cleaning, _what would Potter do if Snape told him _now_ about the suspected Love Potion, having already deceived the boy?_

_Well, he may react the same way he did when I accused him of playing a prank… _Or_… the fool in his besotted state, deeming this deception a 'betrayal,' might run off and get himself into more trouble._

Snape placed his tools and Harry's blood in his drawer and moved his cauldron into the corner of the room where the dirty cauldrons had stood that morning.

_No, it isn't really necessary to tell the boy – no need to make him go running off in an emotional state._

Snape walked into his bedroom, undressed himself and tossed on his grey night shirt.

_In fact, he should, perhaps, stay under surveillance from someone, in case he has any odd effects from this Love Potion…_

Snape smiled slightly at the thought of Potter suffering from more effects than he already was.

_And who better than a Potions Master who knows what odd effects to look for? _

The other little voice spoke up again:_ That's actually quite caring of you…_

Snape quickly shut it up: _Besides, I need my cauldrons cleaned._

Or…_Perhaps you are finding that it _is _rather pleasant having him around…_

_No, it's just_ _because of the cauldrons!_

_Fine. _Said the voice right as Snape was falling asleep. _Be that way._

_

* * *

_

"All done for today!"

Harry stood up from cleaning his last cauldron and stretched his aching muscles. _And I thought _Quidditch_ was a workout. Oh well, at least this one didn't have Bicorn-Glue Potion in it, like the one yesterday._

Going over to the sink, he started rinsing out the cauldron and his scrub-brush.

_Speaking of which, how does the guy go through so many cauldrons in one day? _

He grabbed a towel and started drying the now-clean cauldron.

_Yesterday he had like ten, and today he has like _–

A pair of hands descended on his shoulders, holding him firmly rooted to the floor.

His head snapped around. "Professor?" _Okay, what - _

The hands started sliding down his back and sides until they encircled his waist.

"Hm?" Snape moved closer behind him until Harry was effectively pinned against the counter.

The hands started to untuck Harry's shirt and the body behind him pressed firmly against Harry's back. Harry flushed and gasped for breath – he couldn't seem to get enough air. _What is he – Oh God!_ It was quite difficult to concentrate on anything, let alone speech or thoughts.

The shirt was pulled off over his head and tossed to the side. The whole situation was surreal. _What is he doing! _He felt the rough fabric of robes and the heat of Snape's body against his skin. The hands slid all the way up Harry's chest and pulled him closer, if that were possible, against the unyielding chest behind him.

"What does it feel like I'm doing, Mr. Potter?"

That voice, smooth as silk in his ear, ruffled the hair at his temple and sent shivers down his spine.

_Snape could read minds! _

Harry couldn't believe this was happening – it was too odd. What was going on? Since when could Snape read minds? No amount of Occlumency could ever have prepared him for this. If Snape knew his thoughts, what else did he know about him?

Snape spun him around and threaded his fingers through Harry's hair, holding his head to face him. "Everything, Potter."

_What?_

Snape yanked Harry away from the counter and began to back him against the wall. Harry's skin tingled at the contact. "I know everything about you."

One hand was now traveling over his collarbone and down his chest, efficiently holding him immobile. The other hand cupped Harry's chin, forcing him to hold Snape's burning gaze. Snape pressed against him with his body and a foot between his legs kicked them apart.

"Everything, Potter. I know exactly what you want." Harry shivered as the hand on his chest slid over his ribs. "Exactly where you love to be touched." The other hand began to trace his lips with a thumb. "Exactly how much and how fast and how _hard_." The last word, hissed next to his ear, was laced with suggestion and punctuated with a sharp bite.

Harry gasped with the enormity of the sensations that were coursing through him. His pulse pounded in his ears. His skin tingled everywhere those hands touched. He would surely die from pleasure if this kept up. With great effort he gathered his speech capabilities. "W-Wait, Professor."

A hard kiss shut him up while the hands moved to his upper arms and held them in an unbreakable grip against the wall.

"Hm?" Snape's lips were moving down his neck.

Harry felt like he was on fire. Everything was perfect – this was exactly what he wanted: to be taken by Severus Snape, to be held tightly in those incredible hands, to have that hard body press against him again. But why was Snape acting so differently, today?

He desperately tried to gather his words from a moment ago. "What made you – Oh God, don't stop – f-finally believe me? Why did – ah! – Why did you change your mind from yesterday?"

Snape laughed low against his ear and moved away from him. A hand tilted his chin upward again. "Why did I change my mind from yesterday?"

Snape, looking down at him, lifted an ironic eyebrow; his black eyes, glowing with lust, began to glitter with amusement. Harry closed his eyes and felt Snape move in closer again. Hot lips pressed against his ear and Snape's voice came out in a low growl of raw silk:

"Because this is a dream, you presumptuous brat."

* * *

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. 

Harry's eyes flew open.

"_DAMN IT!"_

Annoyed, he rolled over, slammed his hand down on his alarm clock and rocketed out of bed. It was 6:45. He had only fifteen minutes to shower, dress, dash downstairs for some breakfast and dash down some more stairs to arrive at Snape's office.

Fourteen minutes and thirty seconds later found Harry raising his fist to knock on the Snape's door, thinking about what Ron would say if he knew that Harry had had just fifteen minutes for his morning routine and still managed to show up early.

He knocked. A couple of seconds later, Snape opened the door and wordlessly, albeit with a raised eyebrow, took in Harry's unkempt appearance: His hair was sticking out (more than usual) in every direction, his face was flushed, glasses slightly askew, and to top it all off, the top three buttons of his shirt were undone and there were crumbs of toast around his mouth.

"Look, I was in a hurry, okay?"

Snape's lip curled. "Obviously."

But he stepped aside to let Harry in.

Harry hung up his robes on the coat rack as he had done the previous day (hoping Snape wouldn't bark at him to put them back on) and sighed heavily as he looked at the eight cauldrons which were huddled together in the corner. He stretched his arms and seized his scrub-brush. Even if there were no crusted bits of Bicorn-Glue in any of them, it would still take most of the day to scrub them all.

Taking a brief moment, he stole a glance across the room. Snape was bending over his counter, his hair tied at the nape of his neck, and a look of intense concentration on his face. For once, he was not wearing his robes: his shirt clung to his back and the sleeves were rolled up. The Dark Mark had vanished (for good, he hoped) with the defeat of Voldemort in the final battle. The hands that Harry loved so much were busy slicing some indefinable ingredient.

He remembered how they had felt on his face and chest.

Shivering slightly, Harry looked back at the huddled pile of a hard day's labor awaiting him in the corner and began to smile.

_He's definitely worth it._

A/N: Hi there, girls (and guys). I thought it was time to break up some of the sweetness with a bit of passion and sexual tension. But never fear: the next chapter will bring back the humor and fluff. As always, please feed the author! BTW: If anyone has any suggestions or questions, etc., I'm always delighted to hear/answer them. – XOXO Sprinkles

A special shout out and thank you to ch3 reviewers: chocolate, lillyseyes, Amanda Saitou (Speaking of love comedy, did you see Alan Rickman in Love Actually? Sorry this part wasn't so fluffy, but I didn't want it to get too repetitive. Hopefully, more fluff is coming in ch5), Clodia, willowtree16, Chrissy (Thanks for your awesome suggestions! Can you spot where I used them?), peacockgal17 (Thanks so much! Actually, the thing I'm working on in this story is getting the characters to actually be IC, but trying to get them to follow my own plot!), seabiscuit0810 (Yeah, but what's love without a little suffering? Besides, I think the last line in this part says it all.), Claggart (The dream sequence was for you! How was the sexual tension this time? Lustful!Snape is only slightly less fun to write than evil!Snape.), Iaurhirwen (Yeah, I love my evil!Snape, he's hysterical to write. This is a slightly longer chapter all for you but I think I'll keep them shorter in the future or have to risk more infrequent updates. Thanks for your kind words!), Wraith79, King Mana, Anime Monster (Yeah, love-sick!Harry is hilarious and almost as fun to write as evil!Snape.), Dark-Lady-Devinity. Thank you all!


	5. The Remarkable Things

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

* * *

If either Snape or Harry thought that anything exciting would happen that day, both were mistaken. Harry, occasionally found staring at Snape across the room, scrubbed his cauldrons, and Snape, occasionally found darting glances at Harry, prepared his ingredients for that day's potion-test. Without a word. Ever. 

Additionally, the test was always negative.

Harry, normally exhausted from all the scrubbing, had stopped having any dreams about Snape. His theory was that the dreams seemed to be triggered by Snape saying 'presumptuous brat' – but he didn't know if it was the phrase, or the voice itself that set him off. So, he went through the days staring at Snape just to see if he could make Snape insult him – anything to hear that deep, sexy purr.

Snape, for his part, after several arguments with himself, finally admitted that Harry Potter was not as bad an addition to his office as he had originally thought. One might even say he was…pleasant – when he was quiet, of course. He even grudgingly admitted that his cauldrons had probably never been so clean - not even when he had first bought them.

This routine continued for about three weeks before a remarkable thing happened to change it. It was on the twenty-first day of scrubbing that, actually, _two_ remarkable things happened.

The first occurred when Harry came to Snape's door about half an hour early - at precisely six-thirty in the morning. The door took a little bit longer to open considering Snape, not expecting him, had had to cross from his bedroom.

The door flew open, as per usual, and he 'imposingly glared' down his nose at Harry (again, as per usual). He was not wholly surprised at the identity of his visitor because he knew that Harry Potter was the _only _one who would dare to wake him this early in the morning. _Gryffindor courage, indeed._

"Mr. Potter. The crack of dawn may not be early enough for you, but, believe it or not, the rest of humanity actually likes to sleep in a little."

Harry smiled slightly (he had stopped going into cardiac arrest at the sight of Snape in a dressing gown a while ago and was content now to simply admire in a more subtle manner). "I'm sorry to disturb your beauty rest, sir – " Snape glared at him even more fiercely, " – and I know you don't normally eat this early in the morning…but I was wondering if you would like some breakfast."

Whatever sneering comment Snape had been about to say completely died on his lips as he blinked in surprise. Potter was offering to get him breakfast? That was actually – Snape winced as his brain spat the word out – _thoughtful_ of him. Snape stared in shock. Two weeks ago, Snape wouldn't have accused Potter of having a thought in his head, and now he had just deemed Potter _thoughtful_? _Dear God in heaven…_He paused a moment longer considering his answer.

Harry had to roll his eyes at the pained look on Snape's face – it was the same look that Snape had had when Hermione had made a potion flawlessly and he was forced to give her a good grade.

_Time to hurry things up a bit._

Harry attempted his own sarcastic tone: "While there's still time to get it, of course."

Snape lifted an eyebrow. _This boy has been spending entirely far too much with me…_

"Very well, Potter. You may bring me a cup of black coffee and a croissant."

"What? No fried eggs on fried bread with bacon, sausage and fried tomatoes?"

"Mr. Potter, thus far, I have managed to survive this God-forsaken war, the wrath of the Dark Lord, _and_ the unsubtle eccentricities of the Headmaster – all inflicted upon my person in the same span of time. I do not intend to kill myself by means of high cholesterol."

Harry's eyes widened. _Humor. From Snape. And he's not insulting me. Or teasing me. Oh my God. _Realizing he was staring, he snapped himself out of his trance and turned around to run up to the kitchens.

"And Potter?" Harry turned around and Snape took a deep breath and appeared to firm his resolve.

"Thank you,…" Another pause. "…_impertinent_ brat."

Harry ran off feeling the familiar shiver run down his spine.

_Oh yeah, it's definitely the voice._

* * *

It was around nine o' clock that night when the second remarkable thing happened: 

Snape was preparing to test Harry's blood, when his normally emotionless thoughts turned to the memory of Harry asking him if he wanted breakfast.

Snape frowned, replaying it in his mind. _Offering me breakfast? Is he _mad? _Perhaps this Love-Potion is stronger than I had originally thought…_

He ladled out a cupful.

_But it was rather…considerate…of the boy…_

And as Severus Snape added the drop of blood to the test-potion something happened that had never happened before:

Somewhere in the back of his mind, well hidden from his conscious, the little voice that had sneered at him all those days ago began to whisper very quietly: _Please, let it be negative. Please, let it be negative. Please – _

Green. Negative.

And even though he had not heard the voice, and, indeed, did not truly even acknowledge its existence, Severus Snape let out a sigh that could only have been relief.

* * *

From that day forward, unnoticed by both Harry and Snape, they suddenly began to speak to each other. Harry would stop his scrubbing and ask Snape about his research and Snape would stop chopping and answer him. Sometimes they stopped for several minutes and actually had a conversation. 

This was their new routine: Every day, Harry would bring Snape a croissant and black coffee at exactly seven o'clock ("If you wake me up _before_ that time, Mr. Potter, I can not be held accountable for my actions.") and scrub/chop/talk until noon. They would both take an hour for lunch in the Great Hall and return again at one to scrub/chop/talk until five or so.

At five o'clock, Harry would dry his last cauldron and put them all back in their rightful places. Then they would talk as Harry grabbed his robes and headed to the door, sometimes forgetting that he was supposed to be leaving, and they would continue for sometimes as long as half an hour. Then Harry would leave, take a walk around the grounds and go to bed early to make his dreams of Snape last as long as possible. Snape, in turn, would go on to complete his test potion as the quiet voice whispered its prayer in the back of his mind, every night. The test would come out negative, and Snape would sigh in relief. Every single night.

* * *

"It's true: your righteous anger wouldn't have hurt her for long. You see, Potter, – " 

"Wait a second, Professor." They had been talking for some length of time about the use and delivery of the Unforgivable Curses and Snape, slightly annoyed at being interrupted, looked over at him. "Look. We've been doing this for five weeks now. And I'm not your student anymore. So, I think it's okay if call me 'Harry.'"

He expected Snape to argue, to snap back with some waspish remark like: _I have no desire to be on a first name basis with you, Potter_.

Snape just looked at him.

"I – I mean…if you want…"

Another pause. And just when Harry was certain that he was going to refuse:

"As you wish…Harry."

_Oh God!_ Chills went down Harry's spine at the sound of _The Voice_ saying his name. Smiling and closing his eyes, he imagined how it would sound in his dreams that night.

He opened his eyes to find Snape looking at him from across the room. He looked straight back without blinking.

There was a very awkward pause.

Snape lifted an eyebrow. "If you are expecting reciprocation on my part, you are not going to get it."

Another pause.

"Fine, Professor,if that's the way you want it."

"That is most definitely 'the way I want it.'"

Silence. They were still staring at each other and unless Snape was very much mistaken (and it _was_ all the way across the room so he couldn't be sure) but for a fleeting instant, he thought he saw Harry pout at him.

Snape broke away from Harry's gaze and attempted to go back to his chopping. Harry continued to stare (pout) at him. Snape was determinedly not looking at him. _Don't do it, Severus. Don't give in to the presumptuous brat. Don't…DAMN!_

"I…suppose…if we _are _indeed in the…privacy of my office – and there is no one else around, mind you – and you have a particularly great desire to … call me by my given name…I would not…take offense if you…did so…"

_What? _Harry tried to puzzle out that disjointed, mumbled sentence.

"Does that mean I can call you 'Severus?'"

Silence. Then a very soft "Hm." from the other side of the room.

Harry's face lit up with a dazzling smile at the non-committal noise. This was another thing to add to his dreams: it rolled off tongue so much easier than 'Professor Snape, sir." He was so happy that he almost had the urge to run over to Snape (now Severus) and hug him. Almost. (It occurred to him that Snape was still holding a knife and probably would not hesitate to use it in what he would perceive as an attack or a demonstration of too much happiness.)

He went back to his scrubbing and Snape had started chopping again. In fact, he did not think of anything else until he was at Snape's door about to leave.

Half-way out the door, he turned and looked over his shoulder.

"By the way, you can still call me 'presumptuous brat.'"

Snape's eyes glittered – for the first time more of a 'Dumbledore twinkle' than a 'You're-in-deep-trouble malicious glint.'

"Well, thank Merlin - I had hardly dared to hope."

A/N: Hi guys, sorry this took so long to come out but I needed a little vacation this weekend. Did anyone catch my Alan Rickman – _Dogma­ ­_reference? Alright guys, this story is beginning to draw to a close so if anyone wants to throw some ideas my way, I'm always happy to hear them! As always – please feed the author.

And on the thank you's: toolazytologin, Kateri1, hmmm, Dark-Lady-Devinity, Anime Monster, peacockgal17, willowtree16, Amanda Saitou (I'm not sure if there are going to be more sexy scenes…but I'm sure I'll come up with something), AND (last but certainly not least) seabiscuit0810 THANK YOU ALL!


	6. The Opportunities

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

_The good thing about scrubbing potions for almost seven weeks_, thought Harry as he polished off one last cauldron, _is that you become extremely good at it_.

As the weeks went by, Harry found himself finishing his scrubbing earlier and earlier, which left him more time to talk to Snape. In fact, if that day's potion did not need to be attended to, he and Snape could often be found sitting at his coffee table, drinking Snape's fine wine ("You know I'm still underage, right?" "Don't worry, Mr. Potter, it's just another rule for you to break."), and poring over some Defense Against the Dark Arts or Potions text.

Even when Snape _was_ working on his potion and was unable to look at the books with him, Harry still read them on his own, and, as incredible as it sounds, was actually learning something. He honestly began to find Potions interesting. _Unbelievable! How could I have slacked off in that class?_ He determinedly ignored the voice that told him that the only reason he had done so poorly was that he was so busy watching Snape's hands and listening to his voice that none of the words had really registered.

But by far the most interesting part of his "free time" with Snape was the 'practical application of the elected reading' as Snape called it. In Harry's language it meant that they got to play with the charms, spells and hexes that he learned in Snape's books. And today, since he had finished scrubbing his cauldrons so early, Harry suggested that they try a mock duel…and to his very great astonishment, Snape agreed.

"So, wait a minute," Harry said, still amazed. "Does that mean I actually get to hex you?"

Snape gave him a look that was very familiar but, for the moment, Harry just couldn't place it: A lifted eyebrow, maliciously glittering eyes, amusement playing around the corners of his mouth, arms crossed in front of his chest…

Then he recognized it: when he was still in school, it was Snape's 'By-the-time-I-am-through-with-you-Potter-you-will-have-had-so-many-detentions-you-will-have-forgotten-what-daylight-even-_looks_-like' glare.

He didn't know what it translated to now that he had graduated.

But what Snape said was: "In a manner of speaking."

"Any curse I want?"

"Of course."

"Anything that I've found in your book?"

"That's right, Potter."

"It's 'Harry,' now – are you sure about letting me hex you?"

Snape drew his wand out of his robes and his sneer became more pronounced. "Oh, I'm quite sure, _Harry_."

Harry couldn't believe the opportunity he had just been given and began to call to mind all the harmless but highly amusing hexes he had ever learned. There was one that colors a person's hair pink or a person's robes polka-dotted. One of the jinxes would force Snape to sing everything he said or dance the Macarena. Harry smirked: it _was_ hard to beat that pink hair spell – he'd try that one first.

Harry looked up. Snape had moved some chairs and his coffee table to the far side of the room, giving then a nice, open area to duel in. He also cast an unbreakable charm on all of his glass objects – later on, Harry would decide that he should have taken a hint from this little bit of forewarning, but, at the moment, so filled with excitement, he completely missed it.

Turning to each other, they bowed and went to cast their first spells.

It turned out that Snape's earlier comment of 'In a manner of speaking' and the accompanying look really meant 'Well, you are welcome to make an _attempt_, but there is about the same likelihood of Voldemort dancing around in a pink tutu as of you actually hitting me.' Harry realized this reality of the situation round about the fourth time he slammed into a wall with a muffled WHUMPH, still having yet to utter his own spell.

Snape was twirling his wand between his fingers and smirking from his corner. "Don't be discouraged, _Harry_." He said as Harry picked himself off the ground. "If it makes you feel better, you are slightly better at dueling than Gilderoy Lockhart."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, thank you."

Snape lifted an eyebrow and his eyes returned to their 'Dumbledore twinkling' state. "You _do_ have a similar ego though."

Harry resumed his position in the other corner. "You are enjoying this far too much."

"Well, it _is_ more satisfying than taking house points – though I did enjoy myself to a certain degree during that activity."

"_I'll_ say – "

"I'll tell you what, Potter – "

"_Harry_." Harry corrected.

"_Harry, _then – why don't I let you go first? It won't be terribly realistic as to the conditions of a real duel, of course…but at least you'll be able to try out a spell."

Later on, Harry also acknowledged that he probably should have also taken a hint from Snape's unusual generosity in this matter.

Harry lifted his wand: "_Criniscolor Rubicundus!"_

"_Protego!"_

WHUMPH!

Followed quickly by a disgruntled cry: "_Merlin's beard, not again!_" and uproarious laughter from the other side of the room.

Harry Potter dazedly shook his head, trying to figure out what had just happened. It appeared that Snape, instead of moving to the side as Harry had expected, had cast a shield charm, completely deflecting his hex, which had knocked him into the wall and onto the floor. Again.

He looked down at himself. Well, nothing appeared to be broken anyway. He could still hear Snape laughing in the corner. As he looked over, he realized that he had never before heard the man laugh so richly. Harry reflected on this for a moment, then he smiled; it was a nice sound.

"Well, Boy Savior," Harry snapped back to the present. "With your dueling skills as bad as they are, it is, indeed, a wonder to me that you ever got away from the Dark Lord."

Snape had stepped forward and was currently looking down at Harry with very ill-disguised amusement. "Incidentally," he continued, "I apologize for having to deflect your hex and robbing you of the much-anticipated enjoyment of jinxing me, but given the close quarters, I was unable to move in time."

Snape knelt down to look Harry in the face. "Besides, I believe it looks better on you than it would on me…"

Harry looked at him blankly. _What? What looks better on me? What hex did I use anyw…_Light dawned. _Oh no!_

Seeing the wince of realization on Harry's face, Snape chuckled again. Then, he grabbed Harry under the arms, pulled him to his feet and led him over to a mirror. He reflection stared back at him, completely unchanged, - except, of course for his hair which was now a shocking, neon, glow-in-the-dark, viewer-blinding pink. _Oh my God!_ Harry covered his face with his hands. Snape, determined to gloat for another sixty seconds, promptly pulled them down.

"Personally, _Harry_, I think it brings out the color in your eyes…"

Snape broke into another peal of laughter and Harry groaned. The only reason it brought out the color in his eyes was that there could not possible be no other color so completely opposite.

At that moment, Snape looked over at his potion which had just turned violet in color and was demanding a good hour of stirring. "As much as I would like to tease you some more, Potter, I have a potion to which I must attend." He released Harry and swept over to the cauldron.

"Wait! What the hell am I supposed to do about _this_?" Harry cried, gesticulating wildly toward his violently pink hair.

"Well, I would start by looking up the counter-jinx in the book from which you learned it."

Scowling, Harry seized the book and set to work. Still, he could not help but feel that the pink hair was a price well worth hearing Snape's laughter.

* * *

Snape had just finished testing for potion number forty-seven (negative) when he realized that the room was far too quiet. He looked around for Harry.

Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Savior of the Wizarding World, and previous Bane of Snape's Existence was stretched out on the couch, fast asleep after attempting to read everything there was about the counter-jinx. His pink hair was sticking out all over, his glasses were hanging off his face and the book was slipping from his fingers.

Snape walked over to him and hid a smile. He had had fun today, no sense denying it. Dueling was truly his element, and it was not often that he received the opportunity to duel without the risk of death.

He paused for a moment looking down: his gaze had lingered on Harry's face and for a moment he saw not Harry Potter, but James Potter. A bitter taste rose in his throat as it did whenever he thought of his past tormentor. He looked again at the pink hair and smirked. A feeling of vengeance swooped down on him, hot and sharp. It was like a dream come true. How often had he imagined doing this to James Potter? To humiliate him, to ruin his reputation, to have the advantage on _him_ for a change…

Snape took back his book from Harry's limp fingers and put it back on the shelf. He removed the glasses from his face and placed them on the coffee table. Then, he very carefully put the pieces of furniture back in their appropriate spots.

He looked down again at the boy in front of him, who was now cuddling a pillow. A thought occurred to him and he went to fetch a spare blanket, returning in seconds and tossing it over him.

Without another thought, Snape turned to leave but halted when Harry appeared to stir on the couch. His eyes fluttered open and he caught Snape's robe. Snape turned back, and looked at him again - as much as Harry looked like his father, he had always had his mother's eyes…

"Professor?" Harry asked hazily from the couch. He was exhausted from both the scrubbing, the reading, and the (admittedly one-sided) duel.

The bitter taste and the feeling of vengeance left Snape as swiftly as they had come.

_My God, how could I have ever thought that this boy was his father?_

"Go to sleep, Harry."

"Please stay with me…?"

Snape did not need any skill in Legilimency to understand what Harry was asking with those words. '_Stay with me. Be with me. Hold me. Kiss me. Everything.'_

Snape froze. In this one moment in time, he felt that he could do it – everything that Harry asked for.

Memories rose up one after the other of the past weeks: he had almost kissed the boy that first day, just to mock him. But then, Harry had asked him if he wanted breakfast and had talked to him. In his mind's eye he saw Harry arguing with him about some inane ministry law and giving him permission to use his first name. And most of all he remembered Harry's face today as he picked him off the floor – he had almost kissed him then as well, but not to mock him this time. But he had ignored his opportunity. Why had he wasted those chances?

But here was another chance…

As Snape stepped forward to take Harry's hands, a glint from the corner of the room caught his eye. It was the silver cauldron he had been using this afternoon. Reality snapped back.

_That damned Love Potion. Shit! Do I really have no scruples? Am I that much of a _monster

Taking a deep breath, Snape took a step backward. Harry blinked quizzically.

"I can't, Harry…I – " – _What? I want you? I need you? I lo – _Snape silenced his thoughts and realized that he had no idea what he was going to say.

He took a breath to say something – anything to explain the thoughts running through his head, but as he looked down, he saw that his opportunity to speak was gone.

For Harry had already gone back to sleep.

A/N: Has the suspense killed anybody yet? No? Good! Only two more chapters and one epilogue to go, guys! A little teaser for the next chappie: Snape tests for the last love potion and the result is…Whoops almost let that one slip. Bad Sprinkles! Seriously, I hope you're enjoying it, because I'm having a lot of fun writing it. As always, please feed the author! – XOXO Sprinkles

Now onto the Thank Yous (there are a lot this chapter)

seabiscuit0810 – Now you're first, happy? JK! Well, Snape is relenting little by little…but his sense of honor about taking advantage of someone is still pretty strong…perhaps the next chapter will shed some more light on this matter…:) Thank's so much!

Tonitrus – Hmm…interesting thought. You're right, they are certainly not the only two people in the castle and rest assured that another person will appear in the epilogue. It's a great idea to expand the plot but I think I'd like to keep the story focused on the two of them. My original thinking when I was planning this story was that Harry (in a love-sick/horny daze) wanted to demonstrate his devotion by spending all day with Snape. Snape on the other hand, doesn't strike me as a person who goes out of his rooms except when he needs to… shrugs oh well, it's an excuse for them to hang out together, I guess. Thanks for reviewing.

Anime Monster – Um, hysterical? Hilarious? If those are the words you meant, then I give you a thousand thank yous, a thousand huggles, and a thesaurus! JK! Seriously, I'm glad you like it and think it's funny. I try to keep changing moods in the story so people don't get too bored with Snape's endless sarcasm, and Harry's endless dopeyness…Thanks!

xikum – Yay! You have targeted the number one character development that I was going for. Kudos! I was waiting for someone to call me on it! As for your hopes, I think that the next chapter will not be what you're expecting…but you won't be disappointed in the end. Thanks!

Severusphoenix – glad you enjoy it! Thank's for reviewing!

Earendil'sgirl – I read a quote somewhere: "The hour is darkest right before daybreak." And I believe that that appropriately applies to this story. Yeah, the character development of Snapie has been really fun to write. Thank You!

Hikari's-dark-side – Yay! A convert! I highly recommend the DETENTION! Archive at for all your Snarry needs! Oh and bring seabiscuit0810 (who apparently doesn't like the pairing _wink_ )

Chrissy – Hiya! Sorry, I gave 'presumptuous brat' a rest today (he was getting tired) but maybe he'll appear later on. Is Harry an Animagus in this story? I thought about this for a while and how I might be able to work it in to the story and I've decided that no, he's not. The first reason is that I wanted him to stay as in character as possible and JKR makes it pretty clear that James/Sirius were practically brilliant and Canon!Harry has not yet demonstrated any such brilliance required to become an Animagus. Of course, there is a possibility that Hermione helped him…but I think that would raise more questions than I can answer without taking the focus off of the Snape/Harry development. It was a good idea, I just couldn't find a way to make it work. Thank you so much!

Lady Darkness13 – What? LOL Oh, well, thanks for reviewing all the same!

Amanda Saitou – hmm…I'd say he is. Thanks for reviewing

Lela951 – LOL! You should team up with seabiscuit0810! However, if you are thinking of becoming a convert you should check out some stuff on the DETENTION! Archive. Thanks for reviewing.

RivanKnight – Yeah, that was a funny image as I was writing it! Thank's for reviewing.

Lykaios Nyx – Thank you!

Claggart – I hope you like the ending when I've finally posted it. You may find something surprising next chapter. Hmmm, Severus having a sexy dream…a good thought but I need to keep it within the rules. (Ahem. No sex.) Too bad though. Don't worry…I'll think of something. Thanks for reviewing.

too-lazy-to-log-in – LOL! Yeah I was thinking of writing a story where one of Snape's potions went wrong and he sprouted wings…I'll have to think some more about that…Thanks for reviewing.

Iaurhirwen – LOL! Well go see it again, girl! You know, Harry is acting Tom Cruise-ian…hmmm…interesting. Thanks!

angelhereal – Thank you!

Dark-Lady-Devinity – yeah I hoped that that was a real 'aw' moment. Thanks for reviewing!

willowtree16 – Sorry you're last this time, willowtree, but I appreciate your review all the same. Thank you so much.

And thanks to everyone that read this! Hope you enjoyed it!


	7. Love Potion 48

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

Harry woke up the next morning, blinked blearily, fumbled for his glasses and almost took a tumble off the couch when a pair of black eyes and an (admittedly) large nose came into focus inches from his face.

Severus Snape had been up since 6:55 (it was his very well guarded secret that he was always up five minutes before Harry arrived so that he could open the door for him immediately) and, with a slight smile on his face, had been peering down at Harry, watching him sleep, for approximately an hour.

Harry shook his head and ran his hands through the hair hanging on his forehead. He looked around the room dazedly. "…the hell?"

"Good morning to you, too." Snape, still smiling, moved away from the couch and began to lay out his instruments for that day.

Harry looked around the room, again. _Now_, he remembered what had happened – he had been reading about the counter-jinx to – _Oh shit!_ At the moment, he just couldn't bear to look in the mirror.

"Profes – Severus?"

There was a definite smirk in the voice that answered. "Hmm?"

"W-What," Harry steeled himself, "What color is my hair…right now?"

Snape looked over at him, ironic eyebrow raised. "Why, Mr. Potter, your hair is a most extraordinary, vehement, and retina-reducing shade of rose."

"_Oh my God, it's still neon PINK!_"

Harry flopped back onto the couch and covered his face with a pillow. Then a thought occurred to him.

"What time is it, anyway?"

"About eight o'clock."

"_Eight o'clock?_" Harry sprang up and dove towards the door. "I've got to get _changed_! I've got to get _breakfast_! I've got to go – "

"Like _that?_" Snape had stopped chopping completely and was leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, looking distinctly amused.

"Like wh – "

"Harry." Snape strode forward towards him. "If you go stampeding into the kitchens, as you teenagers are wont to do, with that…_fashion statement_…I believe the only result will be a group of highly traumatized house-elves."

"Then what should I – " He stopped himself as he saw Snape take out his wand. "You're going to kill me and put me out of my misery?"

"Ha. Ha." Snape glared at him witheringly. "For your information, Potter, I'm prepared to _help_ you not embarrass yourself as you are so apt at doing." He grasped Harry's chin in his left hand and swiftly cast the counter-jinx.

Nervously, Harry patted the top of his head to make sure it was still there before dashing to a mirror to make sure it was black.

"There really are no limits to your vanity, are there, Potter?" Said Snape as Harry walked back towards the door.

"Hey, knowing you and your twisted sense of humor, you normally would have made me bald, or _worse,_ changed the color to green and silver. You must be in a terrific mood today."

"Yes, and _you_ are being ungrateful as you _always_ are. Now go bring me some breakfast before I starve."

"No, kiss goodbye?" Harry batted his eyelashes in an exaggerated way.

Snape froze. Did Harry remember the night before? "I'm not in _that_ good of mood, Potter."

"Just one for the road? You never know: I may get killed on the way and _then_ how would you feel?"

Snape turned around and lifted a long-suffering eyebrow. "Potter, you will be gone all of ten minutes. Even _you_ couldn't get yourself killed in that span of time."

"You want to bet?" Harry ducked another pink-hair hex that was almost carelessly tossed his way. "Alright, alright. I'm going."

* * *

Harry came back in nine minutes and fifteen seconds with Snape's breakfast and immediately set into scrubbing his cauldrons. He was amazed at Snape's good mood. The man was tapping his foot to a silent melody and smiling slightly. _I wonder if he cast a cheering charm or something._

So, was Snape in a good mood? No. The truth was he was in an inconceivably fantastic mood. Today was he was testing for the last Love Potion and he was determined to make it perfectly so as to leave no room for ambiguity.

Every ingredient he chopped with care and was more exacting than he had ever been in making a potion. He stirred perfectly and sprinkled perfectly. His stomach fluttered, his heart was light in his chest. He almost felt like dancing – almost (he still had an image to maintain, you know), so he contented himself with swooping gracefully around his cauldron on the balls of his feet.

If _this_ last potion was negative – his heart beat a little faster at the thought and he glanced at Harry across the room – _No. I mustn't jinx it._ His mind knew that such superstition was illogical – but still, he wasn't taking any chances…

He wouldn't even _think_ about the other possibility.

That day flew by for both of them: Harry scrubbed his cauldrons, all the while wondering what had made Snape so happy, while Snape chopped, diced, stirred, measured and timed, soaring in a daydream and high as a kite on hope.

* * *

The clock struck nine o'clock; Severus Snape was practically shaking with anticipation. 

He had sent Harry back to his dorm an hour ago after an argument about why Harry couldn't stay over night in his quarters again.

"You can not stay here, Harry – I don't have a spare bed."

"I'll sleep on the couch!"

"No. It's not good for your back, and, more importantly, it's not good for my couch."

Harry looked up hopefully. "If you're really all that fussed, I can sleep with you in your bed…"

Snape gave him a deadpan look. "Your subtlety leaves something to be desired, Mr. Potter. Now, go to your own dormitory and sleep in your own bed."

And somewhat disappointed, Harry slouched off.

Truth be told, Snape didn't care how the couch affected anyone's back, and he certainly was not 'all that fussed' if Harry wanted to sleep with him in his bed, but in case tonight's test produced an embarrassing emotional scene, (unlikely, but still it is always best to be prepared) he wanted there to be no one present to witness it.

The room was silent except for the crackling flames under his cauldron. Taking a deep breath he ladled out a cup of the potion and set it to cool on the counter-top. He retrieved the vial and dropper full of Harry's blood, and held it over the cup. Snape steadied his shaking hand and closed his eyes.

He heard the sound of his heart beating in his ears and the sound of the drop falling into the cup of potion and his mantra: _Let it be green, let it be negative, let it be green…_

He inhaled a deep breath and exhaled. He opened his eyes.

The potion was blue.

Positive.

_Oh God._

Snape staggered, he couldn't breathe. His heart was racing far too fast. Blood pounded in his ears. Pain lanced through his chest; his hands shook. Taking in an unsteady breath, he turned away; he couldn't bear to look at that horribly blue cup of liquid any longer.

Cold fear paralyzed him…_It can't be positive, it just can't…_

Desperate, he seized his book on Love Potions. The ingredient that day's potion tested for was a non-magical menthethanol, a kind of mint-alcohol, sometimes used as a flavor enhancer in other potions, but only in small quantities.

Snape closed his eyes in pain as he glanced down the list of potions it was used in: it appeared that Love Potion forty-eight was the only potion that used menthethanol in large quantities.

Essence of Moonstone

Illumination Draught

Buttermalt Extract

Forgetfulness Potion

And the very Love Potion that he had tested for today.

Not one of them was common. In fact, a person had to search far and wide to find them.

Snape covered his face with his hands. He was still shaking.

_Of course it was positive, Severus. You didn't think that Harry in his right mind would actually want to throw his life away with his greasy, old potions master, did you?_

Snape winced sharply. _Of course not._

Snape got up and cleaned his tools, but left the cauldron in the corner for Harry to clean. _Harry. _The name sent another blast of pain shooting through his chest.He was suddenly exhausted.

He glanced at the book again. The potion wore off in sixty days.

Snape took a deep breath and screwed his eyes shut to stop the sudden stinging that had arisen in them. Casting one last hopeless look around the room, as if Harry might jump out and say it was all a joke, he seized a stiff drink and knocked it back.

Clenching his jaw to steady his breathing, he stalked to his bedroom and lay down on the bed. He simply lay there, trying to think of anything but Harry. And as he stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come, he reflected on the fact that the alcohol burning in his throat and stomach felt good – it sort of dulled the pain in his chest.

It convinced him that his heart wasn't breaking.

For a second.

Almost.

* * *

As soon as he walked into Snape's office the next day, Harry knew that Snape's good mood from the other day had vanished. Snape, having no more Love Potion tests to brew, was replenishing the supply of antidotes and curatives in the hospital wing silently and automatically, as if he had done it a thousand times before and didn't even need to think about what he was doing. This was not the dancing daydream of yesterday, but a hopeless state of existance. 

His hair hung lank around his face, his eyes had ceased their twinkle (and didn't even 'glitter maliciously' any more) but simply stared dully at something far off. He no longer stood up as straight as he used to and instead, sort of slouched over his counter and his cauldron.

Every so often he would look over at Harry, and brighten up a little, only to look harder at Harry's adoring gaze and wilt again.

Snape had spent days trying to think of a reason that Harry might have menthethanol in his bloodstream, and every reason had been disproved. He had asked the house-elves in the kitchens if they had ever used it in their food. They hadn't. He had even gone so far as to check if anyone in the area was ordering it. No one was.

_No. The test was positive and what's more, it was accurate._

He had debated whether or not to brew a cure for Harry, and admitted to himself that he was ethically bound to do so…but every time that he looked over at Harry, he couldn't even bear the thought of it.

_He'll only be here for a few more days before the Potion wears off…why hurry it?_

But secretly, he was afraid to remember what his office had been like during past holidays – silent, lonely. He could vaguely remember going through days and weeks without talking to a single soul. Harry had changed that.

Snape straightened, clenched his fists and held his head higher. _Enough! I have done it before and I can do it again!_

But as he would look over at Harry, he would smile at the memory of the scrubbing, the teasing, the pink hair. Then he would remember that as soon as Harry came to his senses, he would leave – and another little part of Severus Snape would break.

* * *

Snape lost all sense of time. The days flew by in a haze of potions and silence and memories. But the day came late one the afternoon when Harry stood up and told Severus that he had finished scrubbing his cauldrons and doing his menial labor – for good. 

Severus had been contemplating the results of the test of a few days before. Could there be some other reason that he had not yet thought of? Could there perhaps have been something wrong with the test?

_You know that there was nothing wrong with that test!_ Thought the sensible part of his brain._ The whole reason that you were so careful with that test was so you could have clear unambiguous results. Now you do: Potter's infatuation, as you knew from the beginning, is completely false._

_Don't give up yet. Act on your feelings!_ Thought the insensible part of his brain. (Snape, at this point, refused to call it his heart.) _Who's to say that he won't feel something for you after the potion wears off? Maybe he truly loves you underneath the potion! Are you really going to give up this chance at happiness?_

_Are you insane? The boy has his whole life ahead of him! Do you honestly think that he wants to be tied to a Death-Eater old enough to be his father?_

_Everyone deserves happiness, even ex-Death-Eaters. And who better to protect him from his enemies than one as skilled as you?_

_The test was positive. What more do you need to know?_

…_I don't know…_

"Severus?"

It took a moment for Severus to realize that Harry did not yet have a voice residing in his head. Snape looked up silently.

"Are you alright?"

"Of course I am, Potter."

"Harry."

"Harry." Snape repeated feigning normality. "Why?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Well, you sort of have that look you get when you've argued yourself into a corner."

_Amazingly accurate._ "I was just…elucidating." A pause. "Did you need something?"

"Well, no. Not exactly. I wanted to tell you that I've figured out that I don't need to scrub cauldrons anymore." There was silence as Harry smiled his ironic smile. "I'm free at last, so to speak." Another pause. "So…I guess I'll be… taking my leave of you…"

For a moment everything was silent, as Snape took in the full reality of what was happening. Then:

_The potion's worn off! God help me, he's leaving! No, please - _

Snape forced himself to speak over his roaring thoughts. "Yes…I – I appreciate…all the work you've done…for me." He took a deep breath. "It was…agreeable…having you around.

Harry cocked his head to the side then said in a businesslike tone, "Don't mention it. I was happy to help you." He headed to the door.

At that moment, Snape's voices began screaming.

_What are you doing, you fool? Why aren't you running after him and begging him to stay? Why are you letting happiness slip through your fingers? Go after him! It's not too late._

_Stay still! He's obviously gotten over whatever artificial infatuation he had for you and worked the potion out of his system. Now he will go off to enjoy his life without some greasy Potions master holding him down._

_No. Run! Stop him! You have one last chance…_

But Severus Snape, ignoring the last plea of his heart, did not run after Harry. His legs, icy with cold, stayed still as Harry opened the door and looked back.

"Goodbye, Severus."

_Please, don't leave!_ _Please - _"Goodbye, Potter."

"Harry."

"Goodbye, Harry."

More quietly: "Goodbye."

_Goodbye, presumptuous brat…_

The door clicked shut.

"_Oh, God…"_

A/N: dives to the ground to avoid the hexes, curses and just plain sharp objects that are thrown at her. Alright guys – I know I've made a few enemies (those of you who are not in a depression now) but as Yogi Berra said, 'it ain't over till it's over.' There are still some surprises to come…(As always, please feed the author. You wouldn't want her to leave you hanging _here_ would you? JK:)) – XOXO Sprinkles

And onto the thankyous –

Chrissy – YAY! You have no idea how happy I am to find someone whose pet peeve is incorrect use of the English language. There aren't enough of us out there. If Snape and Harry were pouring over their books, then they are either doing something exceptionally dirty, or it's a Lockhart book. I agree with you. I hope JKR changes Harry's character a little in the next book: God. The kid had more PMSy scenes than I do! Thank's for sticking with me!

Munku-JGSPTV – Yeah. Snape and Harry play off of each other so well. Thanks for reviewing!

Tonitrus – Snape's thoughts aren't so happy this time around though dodges tomato . Don't give up on me yet! Thanks for reviewing!

TheSpaz – (I love your user name). Thank You!

Xikum – Ch! As if Harry ever had a _chance _against Snape, eh? Yeah. I'm a big believer that Snape is a gentleman, especially after seeing what the Death Eaters to each other. Thank you!

Wan is Wan – I love my Severus too. And come to think of it, so does…Whoops. Almost let that one slip. Thanks for reviewing!

Anime Monster – not so H & H in this chapter, was it. Sorry, Monster. I had to shake things up a little. But all is not lost! Thanks!

Tanith Lilitu – If you thought I was horrible _last_ chapter, what do you think of me now? LOL. Thanks!

Dark-Lady-Devinity – Thank you!

Willowtree16 – Hmm…perceptive. But perhaps there is more than at first glance, eh? Thanks for reviewing!

King Mana – Thank you!

Seabiscuit0810 – If you don't like the pairing then you should be happy. I just broke them up, right. What's this? You're thinking of converting? Really? No? Ok then. Your loss! He does seem heartless in the books, I agree, but the fifth book was actually the first book that I truly felt sorry for the guy. (And I thought Harry was an ass.) Thanks!

Lady Darkness13 – mAyBe, just MaYbE, he does! Time will tell. Thank you!

And THANK YOU to everyone who read this!


	8. The Excellent Year for Butterbeer

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

That night, Severus Snape roamed the school like a wounded creature.

He had stayed in his office brewing potions for the hospital wing for as long as he could without going mad. Even if the boy wasn't there, everything in the room held a different memory. There was the pile of cauldrons in the corner, the couch, the wine, the books.

At last he had slammed down his tools and stormed out of his office. Where he was going, he did not know. He went to the Great Hall, to the teacher's lounge and to every quiet corridor he knew. He still could not find peace: as soon as he sat anywhere, thoughts and feelings he didn't even know he had threatened to overwhelm him; as soon as he started walking, he felt so exhausted, he needed to sit down.

A few other teachers who were in residence passed him in the hallways, saying that he looked unwell, that he should have a lie down. Snape ignored them and continued drifting all over the school.

_Of course, I look unwell…I'm in pain…_

He staggered into his office at two thirty in the morning, completely sober, but nearly overcome with grief. With a jolt he realized that he had left that evening's cauldrons in the corner for Harry to clean – Harry, who wasn't coming, anymore. He debated cleaning the cauldrons himself that night, but went off to bed hoping (and praying and begging) that Harry would wake him up at the crack of dawn.

But seven AM came and went and Harry did not come. By eight o'clock, Snape squared his shoulders, bracing himself, and went to clean his cauldrons alone.

Around about ten o'clock, Snape sadly came to terms with the fact that the Love Potion had indeed worn off, leaving behind nothing in Harry's mind and heart but annoyance and disgust. He would probably never see him again. Even if the boy _was_ living in the school, he would most certainly be avoiding Snape. _Can I blame him? I would be avoiding me, too…_

But then again, Harry did have some of his father's qualities. A hot rush of rage went through his abdomen. James Potter would not have avoided him. No. James Potter would have come down and cursed the very life out of him. But Snape couldn't even imagine Harry's face contorting with anger the way James's did – Harry who used a non-violent spell even in their mock duel…

So Snape resigned himself to the fact that the only way he would ever see Harry again in his office would be if Harry came storming down to tell Snape exactly what he thought of the man who almost tried to take advantage of him while he was under the influence of a potion.

Thus, when a hard rap sounded on his door at seven PM that evening, Snape was not completely shocked when he opened the door to find Harry Potter standing there, hands behind his back with a neutral look on his face.

Snape lifted an eyebrow. _Alright, let's have it, Potter. Tell me I'm a disgusting pedophile to take advantage of you. Tell me how dishonourable I am for not immediately telling you of the situation and curing you. Tell me what you realized last night: that you just scrubbed cauldrons for two months and wasted most of your summer with a greasy, old potions master who was not decent enough to save you from yourself._

But what he said was, "What are you doing here, Potter?"

Harry stood up straighter and looked Snape in the eye. "I came to tell you something."

"Tell me what?"

"Tell you exactly whatI realized yesterday…"

_Oh no…_ Snape braced himself.

Harry pressed onward. "Yesterday, I realized that I had been scrubbing cauldrons for you for two whole months and…" Harry stopped short.

Snape prompted him. "And…?"

"And so you owe me one date."

Silence.

_What? _Snape stared at him, feeling most terribly wrong footed (he resolutely tried to push his heart back into his chest despite the fact that it seemed to be taking a flight through the upper atmosphere). Wallowing in self-pity, he had completely forgotten about that promised date. And even though he was overjoyed (_I'm _not _overjoyed_ _I'm simply surprised.""Sure you are…"_) that Harry still appeared to be infatuated, he was completely, totally, utterly, Longbottom-style confused.

Harry actually came back and is asking for his date? Did this mean that the Love Potion hadn't yet worn off? It certainly should have. The book said sixty days and Love Potion effectiveness dates were pretty exact. Could someone have given him another dose? It was extremely unlikely. All the Slytherin pranksters were spending the summer at their homes. Perhaps the test for the Love potion was incorrectly brewed?

But still if there was the slightest chance that Harry was still under a Love Potion, Snape would have to turn him down for his date… (_"I can't believe you! You're an IDIOT!"_ screamed a voice in his head.)

At that moment, Harry brought his hands out from behind his back; clutched in one fist was a dozen roses charmed to glow silver. Snape was still staring at him absolutely dumbfounded, so Harry reached forward, picked up Snape's hand and put the bouquet into it. The hand tingled as Harry released it.

_Maybe I could give in just this once…No…No, I can't…_

Snape made a move to hand the flowers back to Harry. "Harry…I – "

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Oh, no you don't! You promised me that you would go on one date with me if I scrubbed your cauldrons for two months. I've kept my end of the bargain. Now, you have to keep yours." Harry attempted his own version of an 'imposing glare' which fell quite a bit short of Snape's but the effort was still admirable.

Snape hesitated. What should he do? He _did_ promise Harry (and he did want to)…but he also thought that the current love potion should have worn off by now…

Harry, sensing uncertainty, continued on: "Of course, I could tell every one that you came to my aid during that pink hair incident…"

Snape arched an eyebrow. _Cheeky brat._ "Well. I guess I have no choice, do I?

"Nope."

Snape strode towards his bedroom to change clothes, thinking all the while about what could possibly have happened to that potion. The test potion was positive, but at this point in time, the potion should have worn off. However, if the potion had worn off, then Harry's behavior, his very speech and thought patterns, should have changed – but they had not. Snape supposed he should have recognized this important fact when Harry left him yesterday. _But_, he thought disgustedly as he buttoned up his robes, _I was too caught up in pathetic _emotions_ to think clearly_. But now he saw clearly: Harry Potter must still be under the effects of that potion.

But he _had_ given Harry a promise…

He glanced at the roses on his bedside table as he began to argue with himself again.

_You, unworthy as you are, have been granted a second chance, are you really going to throw it away and say 'No'?_

_I should. I really should._

_Then you are a fool. You are even more idiotic than Longbottom._

Snape was silent.

Then: _You take that back._

_Surely _one _date couldn't hurt…_

_Fine. I'll just have to tell him that there is nothing between us…after the date, of course._

* * *

The restaurant which Harry had chosen for their date was an Italian restaurant in Hogsmeade and at about eight o'clock they walked does to the village together. In a way it was just like old times: they joked, they talked, they insulted (or in Harry's case, received insults.) At last, they came to the restaurant. They went in, Harry gave the reservation name, and they were seated.

Snape glanced around the room from the table. He hated to admit it, but he was impressed at Harry's taste: it was indeed a very nice restaurant.

A waiter appeared at his side. "May I bring you gentlemen a drink?"

Harry answered first. "Sure, I'll have a butterbeer…"

The waiter's eyebrows skyrocketed and Snape rolled his eyes. _Well there goes my high opinion of the brat's taste…_

He picked up the end of Harry's sentence. "…and I'll have a glass of your best merlot." The waiter smiled at Snape, happy that there was a least one person at the table who seemed accustomed to eating in fancy restaurants, and left to get their drinks.

When the waiter was out of sight and earshot, Snape lifted an eyebrow at Harry that said quite plainly: _You really have no class at all, do you?_ "You go out to an expensive Italian restaurant and order _butterbeer_?

"Hey! As if you should talk when I'm the one paying. I'm just as classy as you are! Because I've been doing _your_ manual labor, I haven't had any butterbeer since after graduation two months ago. And besides," Here Harry's eyes began to twinkle. He sat up straight and elevated his nose high in the air doing a remarkable impression of the late-Lucius Malfoy. "I hear that this year is an excellent year for buttermalt."

Snape felt like beating Harry over the head with the decorative flower on the table – but his lips twitched nonetheless. "There's no year for buttermalt, Potter."

_Note to self: If further companionship is experienced with one Harry Potter, teach him _something_ about culture._

The rest of the date went without a hitch. They talked about Snape's current projects (he wanted to see if he could adjust the Wolfsbane Potion to have a longer duration of effectiveness) and plans (he would still be teaching the 'dunderheads' come September). They talked about what Harry was going to do. ("Well, Madam Hooch is retiring and Dumbledore still thinks that I should stay in the castle, so I thought I'd apply for her job.")

Snape carefully kept his face during that piece of information.

"Wouldn't want to do anything a bit cerebral, would you, Potter?

"Of course not, Professor."

Though Snape would rather bite off his own tongue than admit it, he was enjoying the date. Their banter and insults were actually quite amusing. However, something was bothering Snape. And that something had nothing to do with the fact that he was ethically bound to dump Harry after their date was over.

He wasn't even quite sure what it was that was bothering him, but it had been niggling and nagging at his mind since Harry had done his Lucius Malfoy impression – besides the fact that Harry knew nothing about the difference between wine and beer (a faux pas that Snape considered near criminal.)

He knew the feeling well enough: it was a feeling that he had forgotten something important, that he had overlooked something. _What is it?_ But he couldn't think of a thing so he pushed the matter to the back of his mind and tried to give it no more thought.

They talked and talked, neither one of them looking at his watch, until Harry looked around and noticed that most of the patrons had left. He glanced down at his watch. It was almost midnight.

Harry, reluctant to end his date, hesitated, but knew he should have been back at the castle a while ago.

"We should go back to Hogwarts. It's about midnight."

Snape nodded, eyes growing slightly colder as he remembered what he had to do.

Harry paid the tab and they both got up and slowly walked back to Hogwarts.

It was at this time that the little nagging feeling began to bother Snape again. He ruthlessly shoved it aside.

_It's just my mind trying to create something else for me to concentrate on so I forget to discourage Harry._ And he began to concentrate on what would be the kindest way to send him away. Snape had never had much in the way of girlfriends and boyfriends at Hogwarts. For the most part, he had avoided people and other people had avoided him.

The end result was that Snape had no idea how to dump someone and had no idea what he was going to say.

* * *

Finally they arrived back at Snape's office door.

"Could you step inside my office, Harry? There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

Harry came in and sat down. Snape poured him a drink and sat across from him.

Snape waited a good long time before beginning. "Harry." Snape took a deep breath. "I firstly would like to say, 'Thank you' for the dinner. I truly enjoyed myself for the first time in many years." Harry blushed slightly. "And I am aware that two months ago, I accused you of playing a prank. I know now that you are not playing a prank…"

As Harry looked up hopefully, Snape winced and looked elsewhere. He didn't want to see Harry in pain when he sent him from his office. He looked at the floor, the bookshelf, the cauldrons, the coffee table…

"However, Mr. Potter…" Snape froze. His eye had suddenly caught sight of his book on potions and the nagging feeling had redoubled. What had Harry said tonight?_'Because I've been doing your manual labor, I haven't had any since after graduation two months ago. Besides I hear that this year is an excellent year for buttermalt.'_

Two months ago…'buttermalt'…Snape stared at his Love Potions book in silence. Light dawned – he knew what he had overlooked.

But what were the chances?

Snape's blood thundered in his ears as he dove at the book and practically tore the pages in his haste to find Love Potion #48.

"Professor?" Harry looked at him, slightly alarmed at the strange turn of behavior.

"Shhh…" Snape hushed him, scanning the page. _'The identifying ingredient in Love Potion #48 (otherwise known as the Heavy Infatuation Potion) is menthethanol. This is a fairly rare ingredient and can only be found in a few other potions and additives including:_

_Essence of Moonstone_

_Illumination Draught_

_Buttermalt Extract…'_

Snape's breathing quickened as the pieces fell into place. He tried to calm himself. "Harry. You went out to The Three Broomsticks after graduation, did you not?"

Harry was totally non-plussed. What was Snape going on about, now? "Yeah. I was there with Ron and Hermione."

Snape waved the last sentence away as unimportant and enunciated his next words slowly and clearly. "Potter, try to remember, now. How. Many. Butterbeers. Did. You. Drink?"

Harry was getting a little scared. Snape had not looked at him this intently since his Occlumency lessons in fifth year. "Er…five or six?"

Snape flopped onto his couch, boneless. Potter had had five butterbeers (whose main ingredient was concentrated buttermalt extract, which in turn included menthethanol) the _night before_ Snape had taken the blood sample. Snape closed his eyes as everything came together

_No wonder the Love Potion test gave a positive result. _

Snape's heart jumped a little. _And no wonder he didn't show a change when the Love Potion wore off…_

Snape's mouth began to twitch into a smile and as he suppressed it, it turned into a grin, and as he brought up his hands to cover it, it turned into a laugh. _…because it never existed in the first place._ In silence, he savored the sweetness of that simple truth.

Then breaking the silence:_'I told you so!' said his heart._

* * *

Harry, watching Snape in a fit of hysterics, was getting really frightened. Snape was laughing like a madman because of something he read in a Love Potions book? He knew potions made Snape happy, but this was a little much, wasn't it? Cackling like a nut? He vaguely wondered if he should go get Madam Pomfrey.

Snape finally stopped laughing, stood up and looked down at Harry who was still sitting on a chair. Harry supposed that that was his cue to go, so he also stood up.

"What did you want to say to me, Professor?"

Snape's eyes began out-twinkle Dumbledore. "It…doesn't matter, Harry."

There was a long pause. Harry looked down at his feet. "Well. I – er – I guess I'd better go back to my dormitory…" He waited for a moment. "I'll…see you tomorrow, then. Do I…Do I get another date if I maybe do another two months of scrubbing?"

_Don't let him get away this time…_

Snape said nothing but walked around Harry until he was between Harry and the door. However, Harry, still studying his feet with the utmost concentration, did not notice and took his silence for rejection. "O – Okay then. I guess I'll…see you…next term." Harry paused again as if to gather his courage. "Do at least get a goodbye kiss this time?" Harry looked up at the place where Snape suddenly no longer was. Harry glanced around. "Er…Professor?"

Hands descended on his shoulders and spun him around. Snape was looking down at him, eyebrow raised, lips smiling, eyes twinkling. Harry shivered under the dark gaze.

"A goodbye _kiss_, Potter…?"

Harry had barely nodded when the hands pulled him forward into Snape's arms and hot lips descended on his. Harry's very toes tingled. This was not the rough, lustful kiss of his dreams but loving and passionate. One arm snaked around his back and the other around his shoulders. They couldn't seem to get close enough. Harry clung to Snape and kissed him back as hard as he could. A hot tongue demanded entrance and Harry gave it.

_Never let him go…_

Finally, the kiss ended. Harry, face flushed, lips swollen and looking thoroughly ravaged rested his head again Snape's shoulder, wondering how long this would last. Snape, in turn, held him close wondering when his heart had received such a command in his brain.

Suddenly Harry was pulled away slightly as Snape continued his sentence from before and bent down to hiss quietly into his ear.

"Was that an adequate goodbye kiss, Harry?"

Snape felt, rather than saw Harry's nod.

"Well, Mr. Potter," Snape slid his hands up Harry's arms and Harry waited, wondering if a final teasing goodbye was coming just like the teasing from two months ago.

Snape was smirking at him in exactly the same way. Harry held his breath as Snape bent his head closer. _Is he just teasing me? I think he's just teasing me…_

"I think we can do better than _that_…"

And taking Harry by the hand, he pulled the totally potion-free, presumptuous brat into his bedroom and shut the door.

A/N: All right! One epilogue to go. Judging by the number of reviews (er, death threats) I got last chapter, I gather that positive potion was pretty controversial…heh heh sweatdrop . Anyway as this story draws to a close, I'm sending out a request for plot bunnies for my next story, because I frankly have no idea what to write about! Thanks guys – XOXO Sprinkles

And on to the Thank Yous – Tanith Lilitu, Solesse, Maire, visitor, Annika, x, kit, Teldra, Mordicai, cynosure the hierophant, moondancer, severusphoenix, jaz7, lillyseyes, insanechildfanfic, Lela951, Anime Monster, Dark-Lady-Devinity, Ditzy 1978, seabiscuit0810, Kateri1, willowtree16, King Mana

Sorry I'm not commenting on your reviews at this moment but (for my own safety) I want to get this chapter up ASAP! I'll comment on reviews in my epilogue, I promise.

To my American readers: Happy 4th of July

Oh yeah. As always, please feed the author. (Ha! You thought I forgot didn't you?)


	9. Epilogue: Semper Loquor Veritatem

Title: The Love Potion

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: PG-13 just to be sure…

Archive: Sure, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Snape or anyone else from the Potter-verse. They either own themselves or belong to JKR

Summary: Harry comes to Snape and confesses to being in love with him. Snape in turn believes that Harry is under the influence of a love potion and attempts to identify and cure it.

* * *

6:55

Severus Snape opened his eyes, feeling as if Gilderoy Lockhart had snuck into his quarters at night and given him a full body de-boning. He sank into the bed – Merlin, he had never felt so warm or so relaxed. He could see sun beginning to rise through the windows and the room began to brighten.

He looked down at the head of unruly hair which was currently using his chest as a pillow and suppressed a smile. He lifted one hand to smooth the hair down. Harry, still dreaming, didn't stir.

Snape sighed. He never wanted to move and for once his brain and his heart were fully in agreement. The current situation was indeed acceptable (_wonderful, fantastic, fabulous!_)

_And the best part of it: no more having to get out of bed at seven AM._

But as he lay back to savor this fact, perhaps predictably, there was a tapping at his door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Snape rolled his eyes: So the presumptuous brat _didn't_ have the worst timing in the world.

He tossed off the covers and made to get out of bed and answer the door, when two hands reached out in an attempt to pull back their escaping source of heat.

Snape suppressed another smile. Harry _was_ rather cute (when he was silent and not being otherwise annoying). He tapped Harry on the head.

"Harry. _Harry_. Wake up." Harry simply shifted and held on tighter. "Listen, brat," though Snape's tone was unmistakably fond. "You need to let go of me because I need to answer my door…"

A sleepy moan of denial answered this: "Nooo…cuddle-time now…door-time later…"

Snape looked at him. _What?_ He shook his head. _Alright, brat, you asked for it…_He summoned his 'My-name-is-Professor-Snape-run-fast-run-far' voice. "Pay attention, Mr. Potter." Harry's eyes snapped open immediately. "If _you _are in my bed, and are therefore _not_ at my door at the crack of dawn, then the person who _is_ at my door might actually be someone important."

Reluctantly, Harry let go of him and (equally reluctantly, though he'd never say so) Snape left, putting on a dressing gown as he went.

_I swear to God, if it's Draco Malfoy wanting to scrub cauldrons now – _

Snape flung open the door. It was Albus Dumbledore.

_Of course. _

He was standing in the doorway calmly as if he had not just cheated death by awakening Snape this early in the morning. His eyes were twinkling and he was beaming at the dressing gown clad Potions master with a smile that was not returned in the least.

"Good morning, Severus!"

_Morning? Morning doesn't start for another hour at least._

"Good morning, Headmaster."

"I'm sorry to bother you so early – "

_I bet you are – _

" – but I was wondering if I might ask you a question."

Snape visibly cringed. He hated when Dumbledore asked questions. He really, really did. And it was for this reason, he thought, that Dumbledore asked him so damn many. In the first place, Dumbledore generally knew the answers, and in the second, there were more than a few others in the school of whom he 'might ask a question.'

But, no. The person whom he must awaken at the crack of dawn in order to pose a question, the answer to which he already knows, is Severus Snape. _Meddling old coot._

"Of course, you may, Headmaster."

Dumbledore smiled at the particularly vicious glare that Snape sent him. "I was wondering if you'd seen much of young Harry Potter – "

A vision of a shy, naked Harry sprang up fresh in Snape's mind. _How _much_ are we talking about, here?_

" – these past few months. You see, almost none of the rest of the castle or portraits have seen him, and he wasn't in his dormitory this morning."

Snape resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Indeed? I wonder why that was…_

"I fear I am to blame, Headmaster. Mr. Potter came to me one day and told me he was – "_ …in love…_" – bored. I simply put his time to use by having him scrub my cauldrons."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose. "For two months?"

A pause. "Yes." Another pause. "He was so exhausted that he fell asleep here."

Dumbledore gave him a look that said quite plainly: _'I'll bet he was…'_

"Ah. Well then. That's all accounted for."

_Don't give me that look, Dumbledore, you knew where he was. _"Will that be all, Headmaster?"

"Actually, Severus, there _is_ one more thing." Dumbledore smiled at the superbly irritated expression on Snape's face. "Since there are so few of us in this castle right now, I thought it might be nice to order some specialty items for everyone."

This time, Snape's eyebrows rose. "Specialty items?"

"Yes, as a treat."

"That isn't necessary, Headmaster."

"Nonsense, my boy." Said Dumbledore, beaming again at the typical Snape response. "I was planning on getting something for everybody. What shall I get for you?"

Snape sighed as he gave in and considered his response. It was so much easier than arguing with the irritating man (especially when, somehow, he always lost the arguments). "If you will insist on getting me something, I would like a bottle of very fine merlot from the Italian restaurant in Hogsmeade across the street from the Three Broomsticks."

"Consider it done, Severus. By the way, could you pass the word on to Harry - I've decided to get him a crate of butterbeer. I don't imagine he's had it much, what with scrubbing your cauldrons and all, and – were you aware – Remus said he was very fond of it."

Snape gritted his teeth at all the problems Harry's love of butterbeer had caused him. _As if you didn't know, you manipulative, old codger._

"I was not aware, Headmaster."

Silence.

"Well. I believe that will be all, Severus." Here Dumbledore paused. "Unless you would like to – "

"No."

Dumbledore smiled wider. "Alright, Severus. Give my regards to Harry, won't you?" He turned to go.

_Damn the man! _Snape instantly felt guilty that he was the reason that nobody had seen Harry – and more to the point – that Harry had seen no one but him for most of the summer.

"Headmaster." Dumbledore turned back. "I apologize if you were trying to find Mr. Potter, and you were unable to locate him." Snape stopped, trying to find the words. "You see, I hadn't realized…"

"Not to worry, not to worry, dear boy." Dumbledore's eyes began their customary twinkle again and he paused for a full fifteen seconds as if weighing his next words very carefully.

"I know how subtle these things can be."

And he left.

* * *

Snape walked slowly back into his sitting area, thinking of his odd conversation with Dumbledore. He could feel one of his headaches coming on. _Even the Dark Lord hadn't been that … irritating. At least he told you something in a straightforward manner._ Snape was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly sat on Harry, who had borrowed one of Snape's silk dressing gowns (about six inches too long) and was curled up on his couch looking through a Potions book.

Snape looked at him. "I thought you were still in bed."

"I got lonely."

Snape snorted and sat down on his couch, thinking. Harry moved over with his book to lie against him. Snape glanced at the book.

"What are you reading, anyway?"

"Hmm? Oh, I was trying to figure out what potion you needed my blood for two months ago."

_This boy is worse than Dumbledore. Honestly._

"Blood, Harry? I'm afraid I don't recall…" _Should I tell him about the Love Potion tests?_

"Yeah. You know. It had to be 'untouched by an intentional curse,' or something like that."

Snape looked down at Harry who was quickly falling asleep in his lap.

"Oh, _that_ potion." _I'll tell him another day_. "It was a new Divination potion I was trying out."

A yawn as Harry stretched. "A Divination potion? You mean, like, to tell your future?"

"Hmm."

"That's interesting." Harry fluffed a pillow to lie against. "What did it tell you?"

Snape smiled slightly as he thought about his answer. "It said that things would probably work out for the best."

Harry placed the book on the coffee table and closed his eyes. "I suppose considering your life," he murmured sleepily, "that's the most wonderful prediction you've ever heard…"

Snape, still smiling, stroked the unruly hair and watched Harry's breathing slowly even out as he went back to sleep.

"It is, indeed."

FINIS

A/N: Alright guys, it's finally over! I just want to thank all you guys for reading it and I hope you enjoyed it – I certainly had fun reading it! And keep giving me plot bunnies (any pairing is fine). For those of you who don't like the Snarry pairing…trust me..you'll learn to like it! Farewell for now guys and get psyched for July 16! – XOXO Sprinkles

And my last set of thank yous for this story:

**RivanKnight** – Thank you!

**Kerowyn** – Awesome idea! I'll see if I can get a good outline going for this plot. In the meantime you might want to read a story called "The Courtship of Harry Potter" by Diana Williams. It's a great story and very loosely reminds me your idea. BTW – Your spelling is great! Thanks!

**Insanechildfanfic** – Thanks!

**Xikum** – Yeah I love happy endings too. Thank you

**Rebecca** – Thank you so so much for informing me of this – I had no idea. I went to my website and it also set off my virus software with a .ani (animated cursor) file. I tracked the infected file in my temp. Internet files and it's from the advertising on the page (which unfortunately I can't get rid of). So I've taken the link to my site down and I'm going to move it to somewhere with less…invasive… advertising. Again, thank you so much for telling me – I would have never found out otherwise. I hope no damage came to your computer. – Sprinkles

**DarkArcheangel – **Yay! Choc. Chip! My favorite. Here's your update. No disco bunnies please. Plot Bunnies are ok though. Thank you

**s.m.rahl – **Thank you!

**Wan-is-wan** – thanks

**Chrissy** – Yeah, I love people who are too lazy to turn on spell check. I mean, it must take skill to be that lazy. I hope I managed to keep Sev in character till the end…I kind of think I lost him a bit…oh well. Thank you!

**Marie** – Oh they're having fun. Trust me. In fact there would have been a whole chapter about them having fun…but for dear old which doesn't think that kind of fun is fun. Too bad. Thanks!

**Strega** – Thank you so much. To coin a phrase for my Canadian fans out there: Snape "always gets his man" so to speak. And after that hell his heart put him through, you didn't think he would be foolish enough to let Harry go again, did you? Of course not! Thanks again!

**Anime Monster** – Monster! I guess this is goodbye, since it's my last chapter – but thank you anyway. Sorry the rest of the school wasn't in this (I thought that would be too complicated) but the only other person who really matters (at least in my opinion) made an appearance. I'm glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

**Mordicai** – Thanks! Next time you see anyone drinking a beer it will give you something to think about, right! LOL

**Amanda Saitou** – Ah, you cheated! You were supposed to read ch 7 and wallow in heartbreaking misery for two days like everyone else! It's ok. Thank you anyway. I will totally e-mail you for bunnies and beta (after a suitable vacation, of course) Thank you!

**Ditzy 1978 – **Yay. No more violence! Phew. I love happy endings too. Thanks!

**Seabiscuit0810** – You'll like it someday. I promise you. Thanks!

**Tanith Lilitu** – I think I had Sev scared for a while too. LOL Thanks for reviewing!

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – Yeah, I thought Sev deserved one OOC moment and he had a good reason for his hysterics too. Thanks!

**King Mana** – Heh, heh, heh. glances around nervously Well, I'm glad you didn't! Besides you would have been left without an ending, LOL. Thanks for reviewing!

**Hikari's-dark-side-08 – **Thank you so much!

**Willowtree16 – **Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

And everyone else who read it: Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed it!


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